March Madness coming to Seattle in 2015

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament will come to Seattle for the first time in nearly a dozen years when KeyArena plays host to second-and third-round games in 2015, the Seattle Sports Commission announced in an email on Wednesday.

Casey Calvary and Gonzaga began their run to the NCAA tournament’s Elite Eight with a 75-63 victory over Minnesota at KeyArena in 1999. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)

The matchups will be hosted on March 20 and 22 by the University of Washington at the former home of the Sonics, which is no stranger to March Madness, having provided the setting for opening-round games in 1999 and 2004.

But it’s another group of Huskies that should be excited, because if history is any indication, there should be several upsets — as well as a repeat champion — next spring.

In 1999, 14-seeded Weber State took out North Carolina 76-74 in an opening-round stunner in Seattle. Days later, Gonzaga began their ascendance up the college basketball totem pole when — as a No. 10 seed — they took out No. 2 Stanford 82-74 in the round of 32. The Zags made it all the way to the Elite Eight before bowing out to the eventual-champion Connecticut Huskies.

Gonzaga was involved in another KeyArena upset in 2004, but this time it was their turn to face an early exit after losing to 10th-seeded Nevada by nearly 20 points in the round of 32.

But No. 8 Alabama took up the Cinderella mantle, starting its tournament run in the Emerald City by upsetting top-seeded Stanford before advancing to the Elite Eight, where they lost to — you guessed it — eventual-champion UConn.

Connecticut took home its fourth NCAA championship in 16 years (they added another in 2011) with a 60-54 victory over Kentucky on April 7.

The Big Dance has enjoyed some memorable moments in Seattle, including the 1989 championship game, which Michigan won over Seton Hall in a 80-79 overtime thriller at the Kingdome.

Fans can purchase tickets before they’re open to the general public here.